The Impact of the Lead Teacher Professional Learning Community within the Rice University Mathematics Leadership Institute

Now in its fourth year, Rice University’s Mathematics Leadership Institute (MLI) has developed over sixty high school mathematics Lead Teachers. We focus on how membership in MLI has impacted participant teachers’ professional lives. The Lead Teacher community that emerged during MLl’s first Summer Leadership Institute embodies the characteristics of a sustaining and coherent knowledge community where teachers are able to share their secret “stories of practice in safe places . . . in order to make their personal practical knowledge explicit to themselves and to others” [1]. This article includes stories of individual teachers who refused to sacrifice hours of instructional time for mandated curriculum testing, who encouraged and supported a large group of MLI teachers to participate in a grueling advanced certification program, and who challenged the local administration’s expectation to compromise personal professional standards. These stories may not have emerged in their particular ways had these teachers and their supporting co-manager not been members of this coherent and sustained knowledge community. This knowledge community has enabled the achievement of MLI goals with respect to teachers’ increased mathematics content knowledge, leadership development, and student achievement. We also include focus group comments and quantitative data

Effect of treatment of anaemia in pregnancy with oral haematinics on pregnancy outcomes at Kenyatta National Hospital

Objective: To assess the effect of treatment of anaemia in pregnancy with oral haematinics on pregnancy outcome.Design: Prospective cohort study.Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital.Participants: The exposed were pregnant women with haemoglobin (Hb) concentration of 6-10g/dl at 28-34 weeks of gestation recruited sequentially and the unexposed were pregnant women with Hb ≥11g/dl individually matched by age, parity and gestational age to the exposed.Interventions: The exposed received Ranferon one capsule twice daily and the unexposed received one capsule once daily.Main outcome measures: Haematological response, weight gain and body mass index (BMI) over the pregnancy period, estimated blood loss at delivery, participants’ temperature 24 hours post-delivery and foetal outcome (birth weight and Apgar score).Results: There were 69 exposed and 69 unexposed women available for analysis. After four weeks of treatment, 78.3% of the exposed had Hb ≥11g/dl. In addition, statistically significant differences in the mean increase in Hb concentration, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin between the exposed and unexposed were observed (P <0.001, P = 0.005 and P = 0.005, respectively). Differences in weight gain, change in BMI, estimated blood loss at delivery, temperature 24 hours post-delivery and infants birth weight between the exposed and unexposed were not statistically significant. There was no difference in the Apgar score between the two arms.Conclusion: Treatment of mild to moderate anaemia in the third trimester of pregnancy with oral haematinics results in outcomes similar to those in women without anaemia but on routine supplementation

Potential of Anthill Soil as a Pozzolan in Concrete

Cement is the most utilised construction material and the second most consumed commodity in the world after water. It has been reported that the heavily energy-intensive processes that are involved in its production account for about 7 to 10 % of the total global anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the main cause of climate change; and are also expensive economically. Energy and cost efficiency can however be achieved by reducing on the amount of clinker, and in its place utilising pozzolans, which require less process heating and emit lower levels of CO2. This research aimed to provide an original contribution to the body of knowledge by investigating Anthill Soil (AHS) for pozzolanic properties. Cement was replaced in concrete with AHS by weight using 5% increments by weight, from 0 to 30% at the point of need. Durability was investigated using the water absorption and sulfate tests. Results of the chemical analysis by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) showed that AHS contained the chemical composition required for pozzolans, and the compressive strengths achieved were for classes that are listed by standards as being durable and suitable for structural applications. The behaviour of AHS in workability, density, gain in compressive strength over time, water absorption and sulfate tests were also consistent with the characteristics of pozzolans, leading to a conclusion that it may be suitable for use as a pozzolan to improve the properties of concrete, reduce on the harmful effects of cement production to the environment and lower the overall cost of concrete, allowing for the construction of low cost buildings

Performance of Rice Husk Ash Concrete in Sulfate Solutions

Durability of concrete is defined as its ability to resist deterioration after exposure to the environment of its use. This work examined the performance of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) concrete in sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) and combined Na2SO4 and MgSO4 solutions. Concrete bar specimens and cubes were prepared for elongation and strength deterioration tests respectively using RHA replacement at the 7.5% replacement by volume, which had achieved the highest compressive strength from a previous study, as well as at the 30% replacement by volume, which was the highest replacement for the study. Strength deterioration tests were performed on the 7.5% replacement by the weight of cement. From the elongation findings, it was concluded that at the 7.5% replacement, RHA could be used with an advantage over 100% cement concrete in MgSO4 environments, whereas at the 30% replacement, RHA could be used with an advantage over 100% cement concrete in both the Na2SO4 and mixed sulfate environments. For strength deterioration, the findings show that RHA could be used in both the Na2SO4 and mixed sulfate environments with an advantage over the 100% cement. RHA was also found to be more effective in resisting surface deterioration in all the sulfate solutions

The determinants of health related quality of life of patients on maintenance haemodialysis at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya

Background: Health related quality of life (HRQOL) is increasingly being recognised as a primary outcome measure in the treatment of end stage renal disease. In addition to being an important surrogate marker of quality of care in patients on maintenance haemodialysis, HRQOL measures have being shown to be robust predictors of mortality and morbidity.Objective: To determine the health related quality of life and its determinants in patients on maintenance haemodialysis at the Kenyatta National Hospital.Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study.Setting: Renal unit, Kenyatta National HospitalSubjects: Adult patients with end stage renal disease on maintenance haemodialysis.Results: The mean physical composite summary and mental composite summary scores were 39.09±9.49 and 41.87±10.56 respectively. The burden of kidney disease sub-scale, symptom and problems sub-scale and effect of kidney disease on daily life sub-scale scores were 16.15±21.83, 73.46±18.06 and 67.63±23.45 respectively. No significant correlations were found between the health-related quality of life scores, socio-demographic and clinical factors assessed.Conclusion: The health-related quality of life of patients on maintenance haemodialysis is reduced. The physical quality of life is more affected than the mental quality of life. No independent determinants of health-related quality of life were identified

Influence of Rice Husk Ash Density on the Workability and Strength of Structural Concrete

Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) have been known to improve the properties of fresh and hardened concrete, and at the same time enhance the sustainability of concrete. Rice husk Ash (RHA), is one such material, but has neither been widely studied nor applied in practice. This work investigated the effect of the density of RHA on the workability and compressive strength of fresh and hardened RHA-replaced concrete respectively. Cement was replaced with RHA in concrete by weight (RHA-W) and by volume (RHA-V) at steps of 0%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%. The 0% replacement was used as the reference point from which performances were measured. Results showed that unlike the characteristic of other established pozzolans, RHA significantly reduced the workability of wet concrete and the rate of compressive strength gain over curing time due to a high water demand that is caused by the increased volume of replaced concrete, which results from its low density. Workability reduced with increased replacement for both RHA-W and RHA-V. Replacements of above 15% were not possible for the RHA-W due to the high water demand. However, replacements of up to 30% were achieved for the RHA-V. RHA-W specimens achieved lower compressive strengths and were observed to gain strength at a lower rate over the 28 to 91-days period of curing compared to RHA-V specimens. This behavior was attributed to the shortage of water that is necessary for the hydration of cement and subsequent pozzolanic reaction, which is the basis of the contribution that is made to the strength and performance of concrete by SCMs. However, the compressive strengths achieved were above the study’s target concrete strength of class C32/40 at 91 days, which is among those classes that are listed as being durable and suitable for structural applications. A conclusion that RHA should supplement cements by volumetric replacement rather than simple substitution by weight was drawn

Primary schools’ development in Somaliland – The role of Community Education Committees

The study sought to determine the methods used to participate the community in school infrastructure projects. It also examined the extent and effectiveness of the community education committee participation process. Done as a cross-sectional survey using mixed methods of inquiry, the study targeted 1002 respondents consisting of 920 headteachers and 82 officers in charge of District Education (DEOs) in Somaliland. The sample comprised 257 headteachers and 22 DEOs. Multi stage sampling was used. Purposive sampling was used to draw a sample of regions, stratified random sampling to draw a sample of headteachers while simple random sampling was used to draw a sample of DEOs. Pilot testing of the questionnaire was done on 28 headteachers. DEOs were interviewed while Headteachers filled questionnaires. Reliability of the questionnaire was ensured using Cronbach alpha. Empirical literature review, peer review and pilot testing were used to ensure validity. The response was received from 20 DEOs and 247 headteachers. Thematic analysis was used to analyse interview data collected from DEOs. Headteachers data collected by questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics. Participating the community in decision-making, offering free labour and and fundraising were the leading methods of participating communities in school infrastructure projects. Communities perceived full ownership of completed school infrastructure projects. Community members were satisfied with the schools‘ participation process. Most schools had realized their community participation goals. The CEC process was just one of the numerous ways the community participated in school infrastructure projects. The CEC participation method was largely working and realising its goals. More school development could be realised if the CEC participation process was further strengthened

Harnessing Social Capital for School Development: Community Participation in School Construction Projects

The study examined how communities participate in school construction projects in primary schools in Somaliland and how community participation in school construction projects influences the performance of those projects. The study used a correlational design and was undertaken as a cross-sectional survey. The target population was 920 primary school headteachers in all the 13 regions of Somaliland and 82 District Education Officers. A sample of 257 headteachers was drawn using multistage sampling where purposive sampling and stratified random sampling with replacement were used to sample headteachers while 22 DEOs were sampled using simple random sampling. Data was collected from headteachers using questionnaires and from DEOs using semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire was pilot tested on 28 headteachers. The response was received from 247 headteachers and 20 DEOs. Variables relationships were analyzed using path analysis and tested using t-tests at α = 5%. The main methods used to involve the community in primary schools’ construction projects were: involving them in decision-making processes, volunteering labour and fundraising. The study found that community participation had no significant influence on the performance of construction projects. Community participation in public primary schools in postwar Somaliland is a policy-driven initiative and a fill-gap measure of deficiencies left by the government’s low and inadequate capitation to schools. Low social capital in the communities participated in projects coupled with the costs and the downsides of the community participation process can result in a negative impact on the performance of those projects. Urban schools tend to benefit more from community participation than rural schools due to higher social capital stocks in urban communities as compared to rural communities

Cooperative Learning Method and Development of Pre-School Children’s Competences Acquisition in Mathematical Concepts in Kirinyaga County, Kenya

The research from which this paper is derived explored the effect of cooperative learning method on development of pre-schoolers’ competences in mathematical concepts. 20 pre-school teachers on their regular teaching in their pre-schools were observed teaching their 639 Pre-primary Two learners. The purpose of this study was to establish the difference between the mean score index of pre-school learners taught by a teacher who facilitates learning using the Cooperative Learning Method (CLM) and those taught by a teacher who does not. Data was collected through the use of observation schedule and teacher questionnaire. Each of the twenty pre-school teachers was observed by the researcher while facilitating mathematical concepts’ competences during number work lessons. A documentary analysis guide was used to access the pre-school teachers’ schemes of work and lesson plans to establish their level of preparation in line with CLM. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the collected data and guided by the themes arising from the objective of the study the key findings were arrived at. The various levels of the teachers’ facilitation of CLM were tied to the pre-school leaners’ performance in the mathematical concepts competences achievement test. The findings emerging showed that those learners who were taught using CLM achieved higher mean score indices than those who were not. The implication here is that the use of CLM improves pre-school learners’ levels of achievement, indicating that it is a more effective method of teaching. Teachers’ facilitation of CLM seemed to have a significant positive influence on the learners’ Mathematical Concepts Competences Acquisition. These features were; availability of groupings and teacher preparedness, level of provision of learning resources, level of coordination, level of interaction, time taken in CLM activities. This implies that CLM imparts the required mathematical concepts competences better than traditional instructional methods. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education should develop programmes and policies that provide regular in-service training, in which CLM training forms a key part of the agenda and to refresh the mathematical concepts competences instructional skills of pre-school teachers. Keywords: Competences; Cooperative Learning Method; Mathematical Concepts DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-32-05 Publication date: November 30th 202